Canvey Island gave their brand new 2010/11 home kit the perfect debut with an impressive 1-0 victory against Peter Taylor's League Two side Bradford City.
With Canvey legend Steve Tilson looking on from the sidelines, The Gulls played some neat passing football and secured the victory their performance deserved. However, none of the Canvey players can take more credit than James Russell for the victory, with the Gulls' keeper making a string of fine saves to ensure that Bradford failed to find the net for the first time this pre-season.
Canvey started the match brightly, and certainly did not seem overawed about taking on their professional opponents. The passing from defence to midfield was neat and tidy, and the likes of Kevin Dobinson, Rob King, and Jon Edwards were creating plenty of room for each other to make sure that possession wasn't given away cheaply too often.
Bradford's quality however was always evident, and Omar Daley started to cause the Canvey defence problems with his pace and dribbling ability. On 8 minutes the winger darted in from the left and took the ball across the edge of the area, trying to find the perfect gap to release his shot. However, before he could pull the trigger, last season's ‘Player's Player of The Year’ Chris Moore put in a solid tackle to dispossess Daley and clear the danger. 4 minutes later Daley created an opportunity from the other side of the pitch, although his ball across the 6 yard box was cleared by Frank Everett before James Hanson could pounce.
Kevin Dobinson missed the opening friendly against Romford on Saturday, but he showed enough in this 45 minutes to remind Canvey fans what an important player he can be both in attack and defence. On 14 minutes a sublime chip over the Bantams defence set James Rowe free, with Bradford skipper Zesh Rehman doing well to turn the ball behind for a corner.
On 17 minutes Bradford had the first real shot on target, although Chris Simm will feel he should have done a lot better. Having broken free on the left of the penalty area with Frank Everett giving chase, he hit a tame shot straight at James Russell from the corner of the 6 yard box.
Ten minutes later and the hosts were back on the attack, with Greg Cohen curling a powerful effort narrowly over the crossbar. Kevin Dobinson's shot from range was well wide and found Cohen out on the left wing, who in turn cut inside and released his shot.
However, a minute later the visitors should have taken the lead. Omar Daley poked the ball through to James Hanson with only Russell to beat, but the Bradford striker's shot cleared the crossbar from close range. On 36 minutes it was Daley's turn to waste a good opportunity, driving in from the left wing and blazing a shot well wide from a tight angle rather than cutting the ball back for one of his teammates in the box.
Canvey finished the first half in encouraging fashion, with Greg Cohen's left wing cross narrowly missed by James Rowe inside the area.
At half time Bradford changed their entire starting eleven, with Canvey making two changes with Jason Hallett and Stuart Batch coming on for James Rowe and Kevin Dobinson. Earlier in the first half Jay Curran had already replaced Jon Edwards after the central midfielder picked up an injury whilst sliding in for a 50/50 ball.
The second half saw Bradford look better in attack but more exposed in defence, both of which were demonstrated before the match reached the hour mark. The Bantams had three golden chances to take the lead, but Jack Speight or Gareth Evans (twice) could beat James Russell who pulled off a hattrick of fantastic saves. However, the best was still to come as Russell first saved Leon Osbourne's goalbound effort, and then picked himself up to save the rebound in yet another remarkable stop.
The Canvey custodian's brilliance was rewarded on 59 minutes when Greg Cohen pounced on some unconvincing defending to get himself into a good position on the right of Jon McLaughlin's goal. Cohen squared the ball to Jason Hallett who turned the ball in first time to give Canvey the lead after they had survived some heavy pressure since the restart.
McLaughlin may have been beaten by Hallett's goal, but he made sure that the lead wasn't doubled on 67 minutes when he tipped Rob King's header onto the crossbar and over for a corner. Greg Cohen's freekick was delivered to the back post where King connected with a powerful header, but the Bradford number one did well to get a hand to the ball. A minute later an McLaughlin was in action again, turning Andrew West's low driven shot from distance behind for another Canvey corner.
Bradford moved up a gear after this point in search of an equaliser, and almost got it on 70 minutes after James Russell could only slice a clearance up in the air. However, Gareth Evans didn't connect with his shot properly and steered the ball well wide of an empty net.
The last five minutes saw Bradford camped in the Canvey half, and two goalmouth scrambles were dealt with by Russell and his defence. The goal looked as though it was going to come, but fortunately for The Gulls so did Gary Jerden's whistle to seal a victory for the Ryman Premier League side.
Canvey are back in action on Saturday when they face the Dutch Champions FC Twente (3pm), with Bradford preparing for trips to Ashford Town (Middlesex) and Chelmsford City as their Southern Tour continues.